Automatically-operable railway switch



y 1930- R. R. FOULKE AUTOMATICALLY OPERABLE RAILWAY SWITCH Filed April 4, 1929 p tented May 2 Fig. 4 is an, end viewof y ,;;"m1.1}i1gn njrofuriign, or PHILADELPHIA, PEniqsYpvArrIA f s mwerrry mmswamwiisegwmn i The jgto enable i the autoinaticjbperation of zijailroad switches from the engine, oarfor' trai'n which is to be 1 I switched-from .oriitrackitokanother, iAn. 5:5.otherj'object-iofthe invention'is to makefthe manual operation. :ofithe 1 switch difficult or impracticable. q A preferred .,,embodimenl of; invention is shown in'the accompanyingidrawings, in

I Fig. 1 isfa; diagram, anplangf ofa inainof acar thereon, means thereon to operatethe mechanism of-Fig. 2, and an -end view of-Qne Ofthe S'WitCh b.O XBS;-

r J The rails Ia,,a,' o'fthe two main track sec tions,fthe -rai1s=b,b, of; a siding track, and a' switch a at the' junction of the-two tracks,

are shown in diagram Fig; 1} The switch itself maybe of any known construction; its

" construction forming "nol par t ofm-y inven begoperable byainy conven-ient(means, such as i by one arm r a bellficrank'lever d The other" i.arm,ofthe.;be1lcrank 1everd .isattached to, andjbetween theendsof, a jl'ongrodie, which extends tracks;

The m il dnear. each. end thereof, with corresponding J between their, ends he othercorrespond; ing ends of levers f are pivotally connected respectively with two; aligning,- rods 59, Ly,

ra li i Par tion'. that-is required'jis-that'the.later? ally-niovable'rail sectionsgof the switch shall 7 V I V rection, Fig.1, toward switch-c; .Beforethef engine (or. if'ithe train is. backing,;]oe i ore the. rear. car) reaches switchr, actuatorfp, engages, operating lever- 0' and swings its lowerend'to the rig'ht, 'Fig.- 2. Thereby i ?s bs ntia-pw l lismwiththe V H block his inoved' to the right,th'ereby push-'-= endsfof two levers If, f; .zpivotally supported :hlchv a e h ei byi ;.1 neansg of:

,;A p1ieatinifi a-a rui,192a ,S erial Mamas coil'springs m, m, confined between the re spective blocks kplcflandthe endheaql the box. v Ineitherof relatively close to the corresponding block is is relatively distant from the corresponding:

blo'clg'so as to provide for. the; operations hereinafter described.

. Projecting above box hzareilugs n',be-

tween which is pivoted, on an axis extending transversely of the box,an operating lever .0. The] lower end of lever 0 extends. into the box between blocksk audio". The upper end oflever o isinline of travel of an actuator p q (Fig. 4:)which Inaybecarried on any one of the cars 9, or on thelocom'otive, .ofthe train which is to be switched from one traclrto' an 70 other. The actuator 10 may be a pivoted 1e- I the; positions'oi switch 50, it .theT-inner end of one-of the rods 9 or g is 55" ori' ic, while the inner end of the other rod ver, which is movable into {and "out of 0p'er-- ative position, as indicated Fig.4;er it maybe anyfother contrivance which is adaptl fedto be positioned, by one. of thelt'rain crew,

so'as-tojcause it, in the nioVement'of-theltrain, V

toen'gage and operate lever 0.

Assume that thedescribed v V v mechanism is in; a" the position shown in Fi'gs. 11 and Z," that]? actuator 29 .onthe moving car"is in the dottedl (operative). position shown in;Fig;"4: -and that the train is moving inthe leit-haiid diing rodfg iand the'iipper end-Jot lever ro the. right, Fig.2, and pushing the lower end) of lever f and rod etothe-left, Figs; l and 1 2, thus'ino'ving the: switch ;cinto position to q m'aintrack with the rails "6,jb', of the siding.

oonnec-t the" rails"q,' a,"ofone section:.of'the i I At ithe'fsame time lever is swung-ito-push 1 i (resistance; To renderihand operation ,difli- 1 cult, the "following au'zkiliary mechanism is provided 1 7 q V r I Rod efexte'nds th-ioughifb'on 9*, wh ch-may against a-"stop 'vzon' rod; '7 by--ineans -r of, a

ends in boxy". is faj levermi one fiee'endof 'thefother end is confined betw'een heads? y,

' heads 'al dopposite "en gls off'the box, and norh ellyiholcl leyljwi' i n a, QGDtItil POSitiOIL' fivjhen f to'd e 'isimoved to the'left, '2, es es. js engages leyer 23nd swings its 7 theht o pr ng p n 'w-= fthe-delattenzijides" under rand beyond 'leverfi x end snapsiback intojits noi nie l-iposition. 'In the return inovement of red egiratchetisrr des under the lower end" of lever $1 and then is 1 "itsspi ing tn. f 1

jagain -snapped ba cl tinto no nizil position by 11;; This auxiliary f "no part 7 i intheiopei ationlof the switchfexcept t'o' n a'ke 'gitldifflicuit to operatebyhandi sincey'hand opefation' requires the Compression of one f;of -theis grings whiehinaybe n iadeptoo s tifl en df'sti ong for practicable manual- .op-

je'r'atio'ng ii I When the trai t me]? gm} tigaclgjziiti will ibe; to Opel-Tat 4 neatthe railslbfthe;

s'desifed; as? it usiiiilly *th'e-iniain tracl zfprioigtozretui ning the win imove r 'to1;the 11eft;Fig. i1. K WheneYen either switchoperetin anising sis" opei'aitedfo in ove ithe switch i injone e r Y rdi fi Opera c..

5 -65 I other switch operating" meChan-ism,-:t0 so 130- sition each switch operating mechanism that .gbefconveniently secured toibo x h. l Piyotally carriedlon; rod eyw thin ibox 0', ise retehet yle v er "SfWhICh 1s} he1d-,' nlthe posit1'0njs'hown, V V

.spifingtn Pivota ll y mounted between 'itstion, to connect the railsofi'one of said track which extends in ifronftio'f ratchet. s flwhile 1 1 u pe e the 5 f deb e rod e r' "6011 springs 11 w","-arejconfined betweenthese V lower-lehdtoLtheleft,"endits uppe vendgto I V l A fo'perated by saidlever to move saii scribed"operationloflevei'm'by ratchet sfthe 5 i to becarriedqby ainovin sections-either with the rails-of thefother trackj V n; iti'ayel ing in" the reverse 1 direction;inovesj fifoin track 'btb to tra ojk a, a tiles-witchopergttilig mech'z nisrn may be (of said members againstspi ingitensioincom nections' to said rodfwhieh areiiopli'ebl ybyf"' i'ee'chfloffseid henibeigsftofmoife' said fogi in; w 1 one directibnoi theotherfan'dfthereby ppm 1 tofaicargon' the I f operzitediin the 'i eve isei di fection to re co'n-f end an a c'tu'atoi' adapted g to eaffied T1 3 3 -c f i 3 QThecombinaition witht train has passedffi 0m :track; a isecond tr ck whichiiliyergesjffroin t '7 f'sjaid track, and-a switchzmovable.into p' h'eki switch and re-con: v IIf'tm kQ therswitqh "op at ngI h' nism; h dimefb a, 6.111151? calteof that described; may {be operated" to V nioi e rod 16 to jth'e right; Fig; 1'; 3 This idfipli- 4 cafe switch opefa'ting iinefchanisin' is. 'indiczi t- "f Q- ed fatfj, F 1 15 ,So, also, when i't is' thei e g' 'aftei'fdesiiedzto again connectithe'sidingen v V I A y ii l p ifi'g 7 9351011; yzfia sections-f either 1 with the rails jof Qt I track section- 01f with thegifails'of t fromthe sidingtot e niain trackg switch r r K r I neotionstosaid rodwhich afe discbnnecte aol'ae 'ating.mechajn sing j 'mayi' be operated "to bp rable,'byLS dm mbQe, when; V o I jso opel etedbyosziidxlei eigftoinoiie seidjlt'oidf 'f nech to operatefthe swit'fch, an actuitor ad V [be iai'riedby a mov ing-trainfandloperate a d ii tse'lf, 'zind"1a1so "thelleve and anxiliary meohanismidapte o' 'sistssii'd-m vementfoftheiredvbetpai cit is'operiable, by a'ftrain cerried actuatoi'yto move the switch in-thereverse direction.

-Having now fully deseribed my invention f 'what Iclairnand desire to protect byLetter's Patent is: '1; l 1 :7 r 1. The combinationgwith twoisections of atr ack, avsejcond-itracklwhich diverges from Y said'track', and av swit ch'movable intopos sections either with thefrail's ofthe "other; track section or with thera'ils of the othen track, of a rod extending lengthwise 0f the tracks end bperabl'y eonnectedgwith'f sa d switch,-a lever adjacentgoneofsaigl tracks-,iw spring-actuab'le member 'no mplly' holding' V said-lever in; operable po'siti'ongand movable' againstspring ,tensi-on,;by sai ieverpeon; nection's to sa rod wh he; disconnected from, but operablebm sa dfine'rnber when s'o 4 c f r'o'djto operate the switch, andien act iator- :a-ciaptedf rain ndg operete 2.The combination witlf'two' sections of'e' j o f' 'j' track, a second "track'iwhich r diveifgesffro n c said track, and a switch {inov able{intoj po'si etionto connect ti ielmils ofone ofsaidtracksection o p'with-the rails'ofthe QthertMek ofa rod extendinglengthw iseofthetraoks and operably connected with seid switch', ajlever V i adjacent one of said tra'eksj' fspring;ecttiable j members I pressing in opposite; di ections against: said lever and normally holding it in central position,- said Ieiiep be'ingforeibly 5 inovable' in either direct on to mo e I Eitheln ete vthelswitch in one direction: 'or the' othe moving train and-bpei a te siiidflevei one (1.

I e'dir 0, Sections of tion to eonnectfthe' rails of one of saidth l ver; 5 11 ed to movement when such connections-are operate'd with a predetermined force. f v 4. The combination fwith two sectionsof a track, a second track which diverges from r said ,track,iand a switch movable into'position'to oonnect'therails ofone'of said track 1 sect-ionsfleither with "the rails ofrthe'other track section or wit-h the rails 'of thex'other 7 V trackpof a rod extending'jalong one of'said, v i 7 i 1 ctracks and operatively'connected-with said switch, mechanism positionedalongside said track and'operatively connected ;:with said 7 rod, and an actuator adaptedto be carried by a movingtrainjjandadapted, dependent I upon its direction, to operate said mechanism to move the rod in'ei'ther direction, said mechanism comprising; connections, operable by said rod when moved one direction, to re-set' said mechanism to adapt it to be operated to move the rod in the opposite direction.

5. The combination with two sections of a track, a' second track which diverges :from said track, and'a'switch movable 'intoposin Q LIiect the rails jofz'oneofsaiditr'ack sections either with the: rails ofthe' other track section or with cthelrails" of the other track, of a rodextending lengthwisefof said tracks and operably'connected, between its end, with said switch,-mechanisms operative- 1y connected respectively with oppositezend portions of said rod, an actuator adapted to be carried by a moving'trainand adapted' to so operate vone of said mechanisms as tomove 7 the rod inone directionandzto so operate Y the other of said mechanisms to move the rod ,inthe opposite direction, said mechanisms comprising connections, operable by said rod when'moved, in one direction, to resetcthe other mechanism toadaptittobe operated 3, to move the rod i'n'the' oppositedirection.

c tions'either'with the rails of'theother track w '6. The combination-with two. sections of a track,;a second track' which divergesfrom said-track, and a switchmovable' into position I V to connect the rails ofione bf said traok secsection or with the rails of the other track, of a rod extending lengthwise'ofsaid tracks and j operably connected,.between; its ends,rwith saidv switch, mechanisms,operatively con nected respectively: with oppositeend portions' of said rod, an actuator adapted" to be carried by a moving train and adapted to so operate either of said mechanisms as to move 7 the-rod in eitherjdirectiomsaidrod, when'so' operatedin one direction by. one mechanism,

f theopposite direction.

7 being adapted toreset both mechanisms'to. v 7 permiteither mechanism tobe th ereafterop-i erated by'said; actuator toamove the rod 6Q Intestimony of which invention, {I "have 1 hereunto set my hand, at Philadelphia, Penn.-

' sylvania, on this 27th day ofMa'rch, 1929.

:ROLANIDB. ro KE; 

